September 27, 2013

A university is more than just a place of learning for college students.

At Idaho State University, we strive to not only provide a great educational experience for our students, but to enhance the entire community around us.

It's true that our campus is often filled with students coming to and from class, but a closer look reveals there is a lot more happening here.

Many afternoons you will also find young children collecting rocks and studying geology as part of the Idaho Museum of Natural History's educational programs. You will see retirees learning new skills and pursuing academic interests through our New Knowledge Adventures program.

Community members come to Idaho State University for quality medical care at our 15 clinics. Last week, more than 65 community members received much-needed free dental care from our faculty, dental residents and dental hygiene students in cooperation with the Pocatello Free Clinic.

Through their research, Idaho State University scientists are working to change the world in the communities around them. At Idaho State University's GIS Center, faculty, staff and students are working with NASA to create a program that allows wildfire managers to have information such as fire severity, and soil, terrain and vegetation type that can help assist in cleanup planning before a fire is even put out. The information once took weeks to collect. Now it can be collected in minutes, making a huge difference to those affected by fires in Idaho and beyond. The GIS Center's research is just one example of many projects that are making a difference, not only in the laboratory, but in our world as well.

Our faculty and staff in the music, dance and theatre departments strive to provide a great educational experience for our students, and in doing so, help provide a great service to the community through world-class performances. Our magnificent Stephens Performing Arts Center offers acoustics that are unmatched in the area, and, along with our excellent student performances, we attract world-renowned musicians to our community.

Idaho State University is a place where students learn, but it is much more as well. We are an institution that is working to serve our community and make the world a better place.